1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to automotive display devices, and in particular, to an electronic display license plate and message center device for mounting upon, or inclusion as an integral part of, automobiles and other vehicles.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
A preliminary patentability search of the prior art produced the following patents: Needham, U.S. Pat. No. 1,376,220; Edgerton, U.S. Pat. No. 1,970,080; Czarny et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,122,027; McAlpin, U.S. Pat. No. 2,131,962; Macdonald, U.S. Pat. No. 2,559,163; Lev, U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,457; Hose, U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,828; and Phillips, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,089. While each of the above patents discloses various display apparatus for use with automobiles and other vehicles, none disclose or suggest the present invention. More specifically, none of the above patents disclose or suggest an electronic display license plate and message center for mounting upon, or inclusion as an integral part of, automobiles and other vehicles, in which the license plate itself is composed of a configurable electronic display.
Needham, U.S. Pat. No. 1,376,220, describes an illuminated license plate in Which light bulbs may be arranged in the shape of the numerals of the license. Unlike the present invention, the Needham patent has sockets for the lamps secured within the cover, and is not configurable or adaptable to the variety of license numbers once the light bulbs have been constructed in the shape of the numerals for a particular license.
Edgerton, U.S. Pat. No. 1,970,080, describes an automotive signal device in which a compartmentalized box is covered by a lid having a series of openings shaped in the form of various symbols and words, where the lid also has a large opening for receipt of a license plate having similar openings in the position of the numerals. Lamps within the box shine through the various openings fabricated in the lid and the license plate. McAlpin, U.S. Pat. No. 2,131,962, describes a compartmentalized box which serves as a combination license plate and direction signal for motor vehicles, having a license plate with openings shaped in the form of letters. Similarly, Czarny et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,122,027, describes an illuminated license plate taillight, in which a license plate with openings in the appropriate positions for its numerals is illuminated from behind by a lamp. The present invention has no such openings fabricated in its surface for display, and is configurable to easily adapt to required license information without requiring the fabrication of such openings.
Macdonald, U.S. Pat. No. 2,559,163, describes a license plate and signalling unit for mounting upon the roof of a vehicle, which houses and illuminates a standard license plate, as well as providing for directional signals mounted in the periphery of the unit. The present invention requires no standard license plate, and, in fact, replaces the standard license plate.
Lev, U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,457, describes a compartmentalized message box with a translucent-opaque cover containing a variety of words, one over each compartment, which may be appropriately illuminated, under control of the driver of the vehicle. Unlike the present invention, the Lev patent does not contain license plate information, and is not configurable, being restricted to those words placed upon the cover at manufacture.
Hose, U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,828, describes an opto-electrical message display unit for use with automobiles, enabling the driver to display a variety of messages from a control unit within the vehicle. Phillips, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,089, describes a decorative, illuminated, automotive display panel which may be used to display automotive insignia. Neither the Hose patent nor the Phillips patent replaces a standard license plate, as does the present invention.